Please read if you HAVEN’T had the flu shot already!

[sjwebb]

I've noticed alot of this stuff is "coinicidence" just like the H1N1 miscarriage and everything else. I guess the medical field just doesn't have an explanation for everything, which is understandable but I mean the best they could do is try rather than just say "Oh it was just a coinicidence, just take the shot because its recommended" I guess I just want facts and answers and real studies ran. I mean we are messing with our unborn children and I want to make sure I do the best thing I can for them.

 

[wavescrash]

While I get your point, I can't think of a single pregnant human being who would volunteer for a REAL study with anything like this. Would you? They do the best they can to get us the information we need. There are many articles, studies and websites out there with information on both sides of the argument. Bottom line, it's personal choice.

If something is recommended, I'm going to consider it. Especially during a pregnancy. The medical professionals have more knowledge and experience with it than we do simply by Googling.

Those of you who are anti-flu shot want those of us who got it to respect your decision because it's yours to make yet a decent portion of your responses to those who've received the shot aren't all that nice and non-judgmental. Something that's personal choice shouldn't become an argument. We're all entitled to believe whatever the heck we want. Posts like this should be fact-based only so as to allow the reader to make an educated decision. Not necessarily riddled with personal opinion.

 

[sjwebb]

I'm not talking about during pregnancy because that is COMPLETELY unethical. I'm talking about just in general. And um, of course we're entitled to our own opinion. Like I said in the other thread, I'm done arguing. I could care less anymore.

 

[wavescrash]

That's fine and dandy... my fault for misinterpreting what you said. The rest of my post, however, was directed at anyone else reading this- not just you.

I saw that you said you're done arguing, don't care anymore and that's fine but nobody is making you respond...

 

[PegLeg2na]

... Posts like this should be fact-based only so as to allow the reader to make an educated decision. Not necessarily riddled with personal opinion.

Can I ask a question? Is my original post too opinionated?

 

[Wildfire81]

I love the bickering this causes. I'll NOT be getting the flu jab, it's bad for you. None of our doctors care about us really - they may say they do but they only care about all the money THEY make by pumping us with injections following a media led scaremongering campaign.

I get my flu shot from work for FREE, and my doctor still recommends it, what is their motivation in that case??

Well, in this case they got the money from your employer. Your employer paid whoever gave it to you.

I do not want to argue with you, but I will say my doctor is not connected to my employer in any way, and my doctor still cares. It is possible! Also, my job directly gives the shot as we have a RN on staff.

 

[PegLeg2na]

I love the bickering this causes. I'll NOT be getting the flu jab, it's bad for you. None of our doctors care about us really - they may say they do but they only care about all the money THEY make by pumping us with injections following a media led scaremongering campaign.

I get my flu shot from work for FREE, and my doctor still recommends it, what is their motivation in that case??

Well, in this case they got the money from your employer. Your employer paid whoever gave it to you.

I do not want to argue with you, but I will say my doctor is not connected to my employer in any way, and my doctor still cares. It is possible! Also, my job directly gives the shot as we have a RN on staff.

I wasn't saying your doctor doesn't care! I'm just saying it wasn't really "free"...it was free to you but someone got paid. If that makes sense.

 

[NellieRae]

Its interesting info, you've shared, PegLeg. Just the fact that this issue is controversial points to the fact that people have had very different experiences with it, or different advice. Its true that, because its unethical, studies will never be able to be done on human women to determine the safety of vaccines.....or a million other things for that matter. That is a scary thought to me because the absence of data does not indicate safety automatically. If you work in a hospital, though, your risks are different than everyone else's.

My choice is to avoid the flu vaccine altogether, and I'm not pregnant (ttc stalking, I know ) But mostly, its because I'm not sold on the immunity. You can still get the flu, even if you are vaccinated. If you need to get a shot for it every year, you're reducing chances, maybe, but not truly immune to the flu virus. So its not for me.

In my own (admittedly limited) research, most of the risks to the fetus that come with the flu during pregnancy are a result of fever, especially during the first trimester. Its the increased body temp during key points in development, and the flu is not the only thing that can give you a fever.

So glad that they're not required, though and we all get to chose what risks we're more comfortable with. But, the research or lack thereof is something we normally don't get to see when it comes to these making these decisions, so thanks, PegLeg.

 

[Sew_Sweet]

Oh, thanks for posting a bunch of scaremongering crap. I find it fascinating reading about rats who have been pumped with 50-100 times the equivalent amount a human would get and seeing what it did to them. Relevant.
Its starting to get boring now!!

My god I wish I could double "thank this". So sick of this crap.

 

[Sew_Sweet]

I believe you're not being considerate, 3Buutifulgirl, which is why I called you out. I considered your response emotional and snarky, towards someone who had tried to be helpful and informative. Others on this thread have also been helpful and informative. Telling someone they'll be sick in the hospital for months is called fear-mongering. Providing someone with research they've done is informative. I like information, not emotions or fear, when making a medical decision. It's my right to say I don't like emotional fear-mongering, and your right to say you don't like my rational approach. We can agree to disagree.

Are you serious? This whole thread is about nothing but fear mongering. I think everyone is capable of making their own decisions about the flu shot. I don't need some self proclaimed, internet-studied, flu expert "informing" me about the risks. Give me a break! lol. We are all adults here capable of making our own decisions. What I don't get is why anyone give a rat's tail (pun intended) if other pregnant women get a flu shot or not. If you think it's bad - don't get one. If you want one - get one. Woo hoo - who cares??

 

[PegLeg2na]

I believe you're not being considerate, 3Buutifulgirl, which is why I called you out. I considered your response emotional and snarky, towards someone who had tried to be helpful and informative. Others on this thread have also been helpful and informative. Telling someone they'll be sick in the hospital for months is called fear-mongering. Providing someone with research they've done is informative. I like information, not emotions or fear, when making a medical decision. It's my right to say I don't like emotional fear-mongering, and your right to say you don't like my rational approach. We can agree to disagree.

Are you serious? This whole thread is about nothing but fear mongering. I think everyone is capable of making their own decisions about the flu shot. I don't need some self proclaimed, internet-studied, flu expert "informing" me about the risks. Give me a break! lol. We are all adults here capable of making our own decisions.

Okay, then you can decide not to read it. I posted at the very beginning that my goal wasn't to instill fear in everyone, but to share what I learned. How is it "fear mongering" to show you what all the flu vaccines say regarding pregnant women? We are adults, which is why I was hoping to be respected like one.

 

[erikab922]

Well I reckon for every person where x happened, there is someone where y happened. I used to get horrible flu every year and since I started getting vaccinated 10 years ago I've been fit as a fiddle (I have asthma and used to catch everything). I asked my doc last week about flu vaccination and he said, it's totally up to you but I'd strongly recommend it if only for the fact that the vaccine now covers swine flu. We pregnant ladies are already immuno-compromised so to me this was a no-brainer.

Different strokes for different folks, but we have enough to worry about now, let's try not to add fuel to the fire!

 

[jenniferttc1]

My goal is NOT to scare you- so if you’ve already had the shot, PLEASE don’t read this. .

I think flu shot post are good with debating, but do you think this above is gonna stop someone from getting scared, or a lady that already got a shot not to read it? I had the flu shot, and it made me want to read it even more.
The shot is a personal opinion, I got mine but then again I have had the flu, I catch every sickness that comes around me, and last thing I want is to be heavily pregnant feeling like im on my death bed not able to move for 1-2 weeks. I do not get the flu shot ever, but since im pregnant I can't take the chance of getting really bad sick, like I have the past 5 years in a row. I'll take my chances with the small percentage of bad reactions with the shot, then the large chance of catching something and putting my baby in danger.

 

[MysticalBug]

i agree with pegleg and jennyjelly. i for one wont be getting the flu jab, even if i wasnt pregnant i wouldnt want that stuff in my body. everyone is entitled to their own choices and its a shame that some people get aggressive because they think you are scaremongering, i was involved in a similar thread and got the same response. Although a few open minded people actually take the time to read and consider rather than just assume you are wrong from the first word. thanks for all the info you posted pegleg. the fact is doctors are not all saintly, and they dont always know whats best for you. some of them care and some of them just want to get you out of their office, thats why i never go unless i am desperate but i usually treat myself for this and that as i know my body way better than any doctor does. freedom of choice is a benefit of being alive today, let people do as they want.

 

[RoseyCheeks]

I've had the flu shot last jan and due again when I'm 6months. I'm getting because I have asthma, if I get the flu my asthma is aggravated I've had pneumonia as a result of contracting the flu. It's more likely that I would have complications as a result of NOT being protected by the flu! This is not a rant btw lol it's just interesting to see what people feel ;-)
It's like any vaccine isn't it there is a small proportion of people that can have a reaction to vaccines causing complications, my other half reacted badly to the BCG but luckily pulled through.
Remember all the hype about the MMR causing autism? Both my boys have had them, my eldest is top of his class for English and maths!
My mother never had the rubella vaccine and at 7 months pregnant she contracted
Rubella and unfortunately my brother was born deaf, autistic and with holes in the heart. My same brother wasn't vaccinated for meningitis and subsequently contracted the virus aged 3 this made him severely brain damaged and needs 24 hour care.
So what I'm trying to say is, EVERYTHING in life is a risk, EVERYONE has the freedom to choose. I choose vaccinations because of the things I have seen and experienced in life.

 

[kat2504]

For heavens sake. Suggesting that the doctors are on some money making enterprise is quite extreme.
Here in the UK the flu vaccine is offered, free of charge, on the NHS, to all pregnant women who want it. This is funded by taxpayers money. It costs the government a lot of money to provide this for us, so if they didn't think there was any good reason they would not bother. Most of the population do not get the flu vaccine, just elderly people and those who work in healthcare and are more at risk.

If you don't want it, don't have it. your body, your choice. But unless you are a medical expert do not start scaring women about the so called risks when none have actually been identified.

 

[stellargaze]

without getting into conspiracy theories-- I do think this is a valid thread. It's not about some hidden medical agenda . Sadly, a lot of doctors aren't even aware of some of the risks of certain medications. I was told, for instance, that I could continue to take my stomach medication into pregnancy, only to find out from my father (who is an oncologist in the us) that it's linked to toxicity in animal studies and not approved for first trimester use.

I'm the type of person who depends on modern medicine because of various health ailments, and I'm certainly not against the use of medication. I wouldn't be alive without it! If I weren't pregnant, I would absolutely get the flu-shot because the two years I got it are the only two years I did not get the flu since 2002.

That said, I am certainly not rushing out to get it now. It's a big decision that deserves attention and consideration. I don't think either decision is wrong as both have risks involved, but I certainly don't know what the right decision is for me yet. If I do get it, I will wait til the second trimester.

But then, I am practically on bed-rest at the moment, so am not exposed to a lot of germs.

I think this information is good to have!

 

[redbubble]

Im going to be getting my flu jab next week. It has been receommended in the UK for pregnant women and those at high risk. If i catch a cold i end up with bronchitis. If i catch the flu and pass it on to my mum or my partner then both are at a very serious risk of fatality. I cant take that chance im afraid. Ive had the jab for the past few years. They give it to us at work due to being in contact with the public. I also have to travel 1.5hrs each way to and from work so im in contact with so many "sick" people on public transport.

I feel it really is a personal choice and my choice is to have the jab. My immune system is already comprimised due to being pregnant and i'd rather give my baby the best chance.....

Could the shots in the US & the UK be different or could the advice in the US and UK just be different?

 

[Rach27]

Thank you for getting involved in this debate. I like to be informed and some of you have just saved me a lot of research

I am not generally a fan of vaccinations as I don't personally believe they should be credited with all apparent declines in the illnesses they relate to. According to the British Association for the Advancement of Science, childhood diseases decreased 90% between 1850 and 1940, paralleling improved sanitation and hygienic practices well before vaccination programs. That is just one example.

I also believe vaccines can impair individuals' immunity and that of society at large because getting a vaccine is not the same as getting the illness itself. You may still get the illness regardless of having the vaccine. In an ideal world a normally healthy person is better off getting chicken pox, influenza etc with long term immunity in mind. The difficulty arises when that person's immunity is already compromised by disease. Personally, I am not convinced that being pregnant means you are immuno-compromised in the same way as you would be if you had a chronic respiratory condition like asthma.

I have felt similarly torn by other vaccination decisions I've had to make recently and I decided to opt out of my son's MMR program. I want him to, if possible, achieve a natural high immunity to these in childhood and if that doesn't happen, he will get the vaccine then. Mumps is my main concern here due to fact that one form of this can cause male infertility. I'm not really worried about a normally healthy child getting measles and it is my understanding that children are vaccinated with rubella in order to keep the spread under control in society for pregnant women.

Anyway, I digress, I am not sure as to whether I will get the flu shot. By the time I would be comfortable having it (3rd tri), the season will be over. I have an 18-month-old son who interacts a lot with other children so I am likely to get it but I have had it before and yes it was horrible but I survived to tell the tale. I think, if I haven't had it towards the end of the 2nd trimester, I will re-look at getting the jab. I might start taking Vitamin C again over winter (like I did in my last pregnancy) to boost my immune system in general.

All these decisions we have to make in pregnancy are overwhelming at times hey!! We aren't just thinking of ourselves but our babies first and foremost. I am naturally cynical and will always question the actual medical need for anything someone wants to give me over drug companies making a quick buck by scare-mongering people into thinking they 'clearly need' their product.

That said, whether or not you have it is personal choice.

 

[aliss]

I don't see any scare-mongering here. I am very pro-vaccine and will be getting mine. There is no shame in someone posting links from both sides. It is up to the individual to research and decide if they should give any weight to either side's argument, whether positive or negative. As mothers, it's time we read both sides and do our own research and make our own logical decisions - both sides will claim each other does a bit of scaremongering. To me, it is quite obvious which side I believe is correct for me and my family. If someone gets scared because of reading something online then really, whose fault is that? The person who wrote it? Or the person who automatically believes what they read?